Croft: Origins
by TRSteve
Summary: An adaptation of the upcoming game Tomb Raider.  This story follows a young Lara Croft as she discovers a mysterious island.  Desperately racing to uncover its secrets, Lara must also remember to watch her back as she's surrounded by horror and brutality.
1. Chapter 1: The Journal

For a moment I was in heaven. My imagination was soaring, countless possibilities running through my head. Secluded forests, hidden caves, uncharted waters that would likely contain secrets of generations old. And somehow I feel like these are the places where I belong; that they are meant for me, and I am meant to explore them and uncover the tales they hold. Unfortunately, my parents feel otherwise. Running through caves and deep-sea diving for treasures and artifacts isn't their "cup of tea." The Croft family, to them, has some sort of reputation to maintain. And they don't exactly agree with my motivations, because they are apparently too un-ladylike. But what is ladylike? Sitting in a pretty dress drinking tea? I should think that would be quite boring. I'd much prefer to rip off that pretty pink dress, don some sporting gear, and get myself covered in grit, dirt, and blisters.

"Lara!" I heard my name whispered in my subconscious mind. I shook and removed my hand from my face. My classmate had nudged me awake, and nodded to the front of the lab room to the professor. I turned my attention to him as he said, "Please pay attention, Lara. I'm giving very important information about the upcoming excursion and I know you will not want to miss any of this."

I glanced down and the sheet that detailed the upcoming trip and then back up to the professor. "Of course, sir," I said politely.

"Right," said the professor. "As a reminder, know that our ship, The _Endurance, _will embark precisely at seven a.m. this Saturday, the 28th. We will be at sea for a month, where we are sure to encounter undiscovered ruins and artifacts worth studying, to bring back to our labs and examine. It will cost approximately £800 to cover room and board, as well as your meals." He looked at the clock and announced that the class session was over and we were free to go home. "Please remember to hand in your payments Friday, if you will be attending." We stood up to leave, and gathered our things.

As I headed out the door, my friend Amanda caught up to me and we made our way down the steps to the lot. Amanda was American, with nearly shoulder-length, extremely blonde hair, almost a white hue. "Aren't you excited for this trip?" she said eagerly.

"Well, I can tell you are," I said with a smile. "But it's not easy to be excited when I'm not certain I can attend."

Amanda frowned. "Aren't you, like, super rich? You could easily afford it."

"_I'm _not. I won't inherit that money until my parents have passed and honestly, I don't want their money. I only want them to support me for now, and they are the only ones who can pay for the expedition." We stopped as we reached our vehicles. Amanda opened her door stopped before getting in.

"I really, really hope you can go, Lara. Without you there I'm going to be surrounded by boys, and I'll probably die."

"I'm sure you would," I muttered after she closed her door and I had turned away. _Ha, _I thought. That's peculiar. Amanda has always been crazed about boys. Being alone with nearly 10 of them at her age is probably a life goal of hers. I swung my leg over the side of my motorcycle and started the ignition, then raced toward home.

I entered the foyer of the overly large and imposing Croft Manor. My father was on the sofa by the fireplace, reading a novel and drinking steaming tea out of a cup. I greeted Winston, our server, as he passed me to refill my father's cup. He acknowledged me with a nod, and proceeded to my father. Following behind Winston, I sat down on the sofa across from father and folded my hands together in my lap. I waited for a moment, and he placed the marker in his book to save his place, and closed it. "Hello, Lara," he said, folding his arms. "How was college?"

I wondered if he truly cared. I'm sure he would have been more interested in my education had I chosen to attend Oxford. I instead chose a lesser known college that focused on archaeology, an institute that would better suit my interests and career path. It was for this reason and this reason alone that my parents had not been supportive of me. Every person in the line of Croft descendents had attended Oxford, except for my grandfather. My father expected that of me, to attend that college, but I simply did not have the will to give up my passion. I have tried to convince my parents that my choice was beneficial to me, but for reasons I do not understand, they believe my decision has tarnished the Croft reputation in the public eye.

"It was fine, father," I said, looking down at my hands. I was nervous to ask about this, being almost positive that they would turn it down and disown me completely. I was surprised they hadn't at this point.

"What's on your mind, dear?" Said father with a concerned tone. I knew that although my father did not agree with my decisions, he still loved me, as I was his daughter after all.

I let out a sigh. I'd just ask and get it over with. What was the worst that could happen? They could say no. And there would be nothing I could do about that. "Well, you see, there's this upcoming event and…"

"Look up and make eye contact when you speak, Lara. And please, speak up."

I looked up at him. "… it involves my archaeology class taking a voyage out to the sea off the coast of Japan, and it is rather expensive, so I was hoping that you and mother would pay the expenses for me." His expression was firm. He shook his head slowly and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Lara. I just don't think that would be such a good idea."

I looked down at the floor again. Then I countered hopefully, "But maybe mother would say yes; do you think she would?" Just at that moment, footsteps from behind caused me to turn around to see my mother descending the stairwell and sit down on the couch across from me and my father. She joined the conversation. What I hoped would be support turned out to be yet another disappointment. Mother paused before she opened her mouth to speak. Then what came out was agreement with my father that sending me on the trip would just be encouragement for me to put myself right into the face of danger. They had never told me outright, but I had a strong feeling that they wanted to keep me away from exploration and relic-seeking so that their reputation would not be hindered farther. Because, of course, that was the last thing the Croft family needed - headlines spanning the globe reading, "Wealthy Croft Daughter Sets Sail in Low-Class Boat." In all honestly, I have no care in the world for money.

I looked to father, to mother, then to father again. My expression was pleading, though I knew that it would do nothing to change their decision. I knew that they wanted to keep me out of danger, but what danger could an educational voyage hold? None, unless you count the ship wrecking, which is an unlikely chance.

"Well, then," I said in a quiet tone that revealed my disappointment. "Thank you."

"No, thank you for asking, Lara," father said. He stood up and climbed the stairs to the upper level. My mother and I exchanged a stare for a moment. I could sense the tension between us. She almost looked regretful. She shook her head and then followed my father.

I wiped my bangs from my face and laid my face in my palms, my shoulders resting on my knees. I pulled out the paper from my coat pocket, the one detailing the trip. "If only…" I said in a daze. I imagined myself on that little research vessel, feeling the waves rock the ship gently beneath my feet. I smelled the salty sea air, felt it blowing my hair in tangles across my face. And then I realized I was daydreaming. Again.

"Ugh!" I shouted. I pulled the paper for the trip out of my pocket, reading it over. It's no use, I thought, then threw it onto the floor.

Why can't I be like my grandfather? My grandfather, though now retired, had been an archaeologist famous the world over. He'd made discoveries that were printed in pamphlets and tabloids. Books detailing his explorations sold with much success, giving him the funds to seek out more adventures and bring back a seemingly endless supply of discoveries.

"Wait…" I mumbled as I turned and flew up the steps to my bedroom. I threw open the door and closed it just as quickly. I ripped open the drawers of my dresser and dug my clothes out, throwing them behind me with haste. I pulled out a small leather journal that was closed with a buckle. Wiping away dust, I slowly peeled open the book. The inside cover was a note signed from my grandfather, dedicated to me: "My Lara - I hope with all my heart that this book inspires you to pursue your dreams. Never let anyone tell you no."

Pictures in black-and-white showed a man in his 30s with a group of other men, dressed for outdoor activity. They were holding what looked like a giant treasure chest, which had throngs on each side to lift it. I read the label: "Sir Edward Croft," I whispered, peaking over my shoulder to make sure I was alone. I flipped through several more pages, each of them displaying the man who was my grandfather, as he documented his travels across the globe. I read through his last entry that I could tell he scrawled quickly. "For twenty-five years I have searched for the artifact that holds the secrets of this island, and not once have I encountered anything that would lead me to it. I write this entry with apprehension, with hope that it will one day be found. I can sense foreboding here, an aura of danger surrounding me on this island."

My eyes drifted over to a drawing that was pasted in next to the entry. It was of a figure that resembled a skull. I traced my fingers over it, as if I could learn the secrets that it held by simply feeling it. Next to that picture was a photograph of the island my grandfather spent countless days on. I studied its name: "Miyakejima." I compared the name to the name written on the paper for my college's expedition. They were identical.

Closing the book, I whipped my coat from the rack and donned it. I searched for my backpack, placing the leather book inside, and then swung the backpack over my shoulders. I made my way down to the foyer. Pulling out a sheet of paper and pen, I scribbled: "Dear mother and father - I know you won't support me, so I'm going to find someone who will. Please don't worry. I'll miss you … - Lara." I folded the paper hastily and left it on a table near the sofa, then proceeded out to the garden in front of the manor. Pouring rain dampened my body and stuck in my eyelashes, making it hard to see. I kicked the power on my motorcycle and sped off through the front gate.


	2. Chapter 2: A Little Help

-1My hair whipped across my face, entangling itself. The heavy rain beat down, feeling like needles pricking my skin. I sped across the motorway, weaving through many cars, not caring to monitor my speed. I turned the motorcycle off to exit the motorway, and then sped through various countryside roads and paths until I reached my grandfather's rather small cottage, which contrasted greatly in size from the huge mansion in which I lived.

The motorcycle came to a halt, and I kicked out the stand to hold it up. With a shake of my head I flipped my bangs out of my eyes, and to get some of the water out. I made my way up the short pathway to the cottage, my boots sloshing with water, my clothes soaking and dripping wet. I knocked on the wooden door lightly. A few moments passed, and the door open with a creak. "Ah, Lara!" came the voice of my grandfather from behind the door.

"Hello," I said with a giggle. I looked down at my wet clothes and was afraid to step inside. "Er, I'm sort of… soaking," I said with a grimace.

"No matter," he said and pulled me into a hug. "It's been so long. A little rain won't stop me from huggin' you!"

His warm embrace was comforting. I had missed my grandfather; my parents had wanted little to do with him and his archaeology. Sounds a little like the relationship my parents and I shared.

"Okay," he said, holding my shoulders, "let's get you dried off and warmed up."

I sat on a chair that was covered with a quilt. I myself was wrapped in a warm duvet by the fire, sipping hot tea that my grandfather had just taken off of the kettle. It felt better now to be warm and dry, rather than wet and chilled to the bone. Grandfather returned to the room with his own cup of tea and sat down in a chair adjacent to mine. "Alright," he said with a soft face. "Something tells me you aren't just here for a visit. I know Richard better than that."

"Yes, father," I said, looking down at the liquid in the warm up. The liquid rolled up from the cup and moistened my face. I closed my eyes. "And mother. They didn't approve of this." Grandfather nodded in agreement. He knew of my parents' strict policies and regulations.

"That's quite alright. At least they'll know your safe if they know you're here." He patted my knee, knowing that I was a little uneasy. "You want to tell me why you're here?"

I nodded, looking up, but my eyes were drawn to the bright flames dancing in the fireplace. "Where to start," I mumbled. "My college is having a sort of outing at sea, an excursion. We'd take an aeroplane to Japan and then being the voyage on a research vessel. Of course I'm interested in this; that's the whole reason I've decided to study archaeology. However, my parents did not agree… as you'd expect. They told me such things like 'it's not safe,' and 'we only want what's best for you.'" I stopped to look at him. He nodded in a way that told me to continue. "I'll just come right out and say it. You're perhaps the only one who would be able to support this. I need £800 to cover the expenses."

Grandfathers eyes were soft, kind, and his mouth was pulled slightly upward in a smile. "Lara, you know that I would do anything to help you pursue your dreams."

I returned the smile. "Thank you. But what's more, the island were going to be the closest to is Miyakejima. I remembered this journal you once gave me." I pulled out the leather-covered book and flipped through it as I continued you explain. "The boat will remain close to the shores of this island. If I could get the professor to allow me to stay on there for maybe a week, I might be able to continue your research and hopefully uncover the secrets that you've tried so desperately to uncover." I looked up from the book to grandfather's face. His expression was now stern, and one could tell that he was in deep thought.

"Lara," he began, "that island is truly brutal. Dangerous. Vicious. I'm not so sure if you setting foot on that island alone is smart."

My hopes began to diminish. "If I need to… I can ask my friend Amanda to come along. She's had more experience in archaeology than I have."

Grandfather still looked thoughtful. I could tell that he was contemplating his decision carefully. On the one hand, he didn't want to send me off somewhere where I might be in danger. That was understandable. But on the other hand, he loved archaeology truly, and he would do anything to support me. Finally he opened his mouth to speak, "Well, Lara, I believe in you with all my heart. I'll fund the trip if you allow me to send one of my colleagues, Conrad Roth, with you to guide and protect you."

I thought for a moment. I was willing to do what my grandfather asked if that meant the chance to finally explore some caves and tombs, and continue where he left off. "Deal," I said with a smile. "Thank you so much!" I stood and unraveled myself from the duvet to hold my grandfather in a hug. "This means a lot to me."

"And _you_ mean a lot to me, Lara," he said, pulling away to look me in the eyes. "That means I don't want you get hurt. Ah, before I forget…" he exited the den and flicked on a light in a small room. I followed him, seeing the hundreds and hundreds of books that lined the shelves around the room. How one could manage to fit so many books into such a small space was absolutely astounding. Grandfather searched through several rows of books until he found one, pulling it out and blowing off the dust.

"This is a book that I think might help you on the island. Ever since I left that island, never having completed my mission, I have been studying and researching what I believe to be linked to the island's secrets. Please read through my notes and journal completely. I believe they will help you to find the answer." I took the book from his hands, though I didn't look through it just yet. "Will you be staying the night here?" he asked.

"Yes, if that's alright," I said, eyeing the intricately and ornately designed cover of the book.

"Of course," grandfather answered, flicking off the light. He took out a small cot from the closet and laid it out for me.

"I'll be up around seven for college," I said, laying the duvet onto the cot to prepare a sleeping arrangement.

"I'll be awake to see you off," grandfather said as he threw on a robe. "Goodnight, Lara."

I wished him a good sleep as I tore off my jacket. I slipped under the duvet on the small cot and relaxed, trying to clear my head of all thoughts. I couldn't. There was far too much racing through my mind to allow me to sleep: excitement and nervousness, among other emotions, ran throughout my brain. Somehow, I managed to slip into unconsciousness some minutes - or was it hours? - later.


	3. Chapter 3: Claustrophobia

Lara awoke to a cold, hard floor. She could feel the hard surface underneath her, although she could not see it. Before opening her eyes, she used her arms to push herself up, and felt the ground below her. The ground was definitely dirty, not like the warm duvet she had fallen asleep in.

Opening her eyes revealed a dimly lit passageway in which she could see little. She stood and picked up a nearby torch, conveniently lit for her. "God," Lara let out with a gasp. "What the hell is this?" The light from the torch revealed a rotting corpse laying right next to Lara; the stench and state of the body told her it was likely killed just recently. All of its limbs had been torn from the torso; the head remained, but the neck was cut halfway. Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth and nose.

She turned away from the grisly sight and held the torch up higher in an attempt to expose an exit. Nothing but darkness lay ahead of her, she noticed. The torch's brilliance only illuminated a small area around Lara, everything else in front of and behind her was pitch-black. She breathed and took small strides forward. "I've got to get out of here," she said, her voice tinny and weak with fear. Claustrophobia had always been a problem for Lara, and wherever she was now induced that fear more than ever before. In an instant, Lara found herself faced with a wall of rock blocking her path. She reached out to touch it - it was solid. Lara turned around, but the path from where she came was nonexistent. She was surrounded by rock walls on all sides. "No, no, no…" She tried to reassure herself, "This isn't happening, Lara, get hold of yourself."

Lara looked up and could see daylight shining through a small opening. The only difficulty was that the opening was directly above her, quite high up, and she would have to climb the rock. She breathed deeply and set down her torch so as to have both hands free for climbing. She grabbed hold of an outcrop and placed her foot on the rock. She pulled herself upward, struggling to maintain her footing.

The opening was now but a short length away; she could easily reach it if she could just grab that rock - no! It was too far. She pulled her arm back and regained her composure. Lara breathed and jumped with force to reach that rock. "I made it!" Lara grunted and yelled with relief, her voice echoing throughout the rocky space.

Relief abruptly turned to panic as her hand slipped from the rock. Her feet began to slip now, too. Lara desperately clawed at the rock with her fingernails, leaving trails in the rock as she fell. One by one, her fingernails peeled away from the skin - she screamed in agony and in fear, for she couldn't hold on. The only way Lara could save herself was to spread her arms and legs against the walls so that gravity would stop pulling her toward the ground. The space was small enough that she could stop her momentum, her feet skidding to a halt against the sides of the enclosure.

It was difficult, but Lara could hold herself steady in this position if she focused. She dared to look down for just a moment, and what she saw caused a surge of adrenaline to pulse through her veins. The light from the torch still burned brightly, and there she saw the unmistakable figure of a man - a horribly disfigured man. Lara tried to focus on it, but there was no question regarding the man's motives. It was clawing at the rock like a savage beast, attempting to climb the rock wall with a startling ferocity. It gained a footing, and began climbing quickly up toward Lara. "Oh… shit," Lara said in a low voice.

Lara turned her attention away from the creature climbing rapidly toward her, and looked up to the light that flooded the cavern through the opening at the top. She pushed with all of her strength to move her legs and hands, grabbing cracks and rocks to help guide herself up. She could feel her eyes adjusting to the light; she was close to the opening. "Come on… come on," Lara mumbled. She gasped as she grabbed the rocks, pain from her freshly-torn-off fingernails pulsing through her hand.

Lara felt a tug at her leg, and heard a snarling below. She gasped, grunted and screamed. "No!" she yelled out of fear and frustration. "No! I'm too close now!" She kicked the creature on its head, and struggled to keep moving up. "Fight…" she whispered to herself.

There it was - she was ripped from the rock walls. Everything seemed to move at a slow pace as she fell down into the black abyss below her. Lara knew what was coming, and although she feared it, she didn't fight it. The impact shattered her body, her skull, her mind.

"Oh, my God!" I half-screamed, half-whispered as I awoke in a cold sweat. I placed my palm on my forehead and held it there, then wiped the sweat off my forehead with my arm. Remembering what had happened, I promptly checked the fingers on both of my hands - fingernails were still present. I sighed with relief and laid back down in the cot, closing my eyes. I had never felt so thankful to have a warm place to sleep. Then I remembered - today is the day. This is it. I smiled and thought, _I, Lara Croft, will finally find adventure. _


	4. Chapter 4: Embarking at Last

-1**Sorry that the last chapter was so short. I wanted to do a quick update, but I also wanted to do something that would fit the storyline and not feel random or out of place. **

**Thanks to everyone who is following this story; I hope you're enjoying it. On that note, let's continue! **

The flight had been uneventful, and at last we were at our designated port in Japan. My eyes darted up the side of the hull, studying its features carefully: the metal sheets, the rivets, the antennas. She looked like a very sturdy ship, one worthy of the name "_Endurance_." The huge research vessel not only looked strong, but it was well-equipped for discovering sunken wonders and relics. A slight grin took hold of my face as I pondered the kinds of new things we'd discover. Untold treasures would be ours in just a matter of days. Ancient artifacts, unseen by humans for centuries, were waiting for us down there - and we were coming for them.

"That hunk of metal is gonna have to 'endure' a lot of crap where we're going, if you know what I mean." I was startled out of my brief ship study session by Amanda, who joined me in looking the ship over. She stifled a small laugh. "Looks big enough, huh?"

Amanda almost jumped as she pointed off in the distance. "Oh my gosh, look! It's your boyfriend!" she said loudly.

I looked eager as I tried to find him, then hurriedly shushed her, "Oh, shut up!" I said in a whispery shout. I felt my face turning a color only a tomato would be happy to wear. "You know it's not like that, Amanda." Even though I was quick to dismiss it, there was no questioning that I did have my sights on him. His name was Thomas. He was quite a respectable person with a very respectable face, if I may say so. Of course, where I was headed now there would be no room for love or any of that, so I quickly dismissed the distraction.

Amanda merely giggled and sauntered away.

It wasn't long before yet another person interrupted my thoughts. "Pardon me," I began heatedly, "but I am try-…" I stopped before I dared to finish. I was met by a tall figure, wearing combat boots and clothing suited for adventure. I looked from his feet to his torso, and finally my eyes met his. "Oh, err, yes. Pardon me, sir." I felt embarrassed of my disrespectful gesture. "You must be…"

"Roth," he said, extending his right hand to shake mine. "You know my first name, but you can just call me Roth." His face looked old and tired, worn from years of grueling work. But at the same time he looked kind and generous, ready to teach with wisdom a rookie adventurer like myself.

I smiled as I shook his hand with confidence. "My grandfather sent you. What do you know about adventure and archaeology?" I was curious to know what qualified this man to act as my guide, as if I truly needed one.

"Oh, Lara," he almost laughed. "I spent years with the Royal Marine Commandos. It almost seems as if you don't trust me to help you."

Again, I wondered what required help from outsiders on this journey. I wondered, too, why so many people discussed the island as if it was some sort of nightmare. _Am I missing a bit of information? _I asked myself. Of course, my own grandfather documented the supposed supernatural elements of the island, and the dangers that were posed there, but I didn't understand how dangerous one ancient skull could be. I decided to hold my tongue and save my questions for later, for those could wait.

Roth turned his head at the sound of a whistle coming from my professor. "Yes!" I said in a muted shout. I grabbed my bags of luggage and walked briskly alongside Roth to the boarding dock.

My heart pounded with excitement; I wondered if people could hear its beating at the rate it was going. I treaded the ramp up to the entranceway of the ship, and again my eyes scanned her title: "_Endurance_." I felt confident that this ship would lead us to amazing, sensational things. My luggage in tow behind me, I reached the doorway leading into the ship where I was greeted by a crewmember. I gave him my boarding pass and stepped inside.

The ship was rustic, quite different from the lavish yachts and ocean liners I was accustomed to traveling on. I distinctly remembered those vomit-inducing, floating palaces that I would be trapped on for days at a time. Most common-people would likely give a fortune to spend time on one of those. Not me. And now, here I was, walking into a relatively rugged hunk of floating metal. I almost felt selfish to give up that life of glamour for something so simplistic in nature. _No_, I told myself. _This is it. This is what must be done if you ever want to become something._

I felt the breeze wisp my hair and flutter my clothes around. I took in a deep breath through my nose, getting used to the salty air that I would be inhaling for the next few weeks. The railing of the upper deck supported my weight as I leaned over it. My eyes took in the landscape as the ship gently pulled away from it. I turned away from the Japanese mainland port, fixing my gaze on the vast ocean that sprawled before me.

Once more, I thought about what was out there for us, and what was out there for _me_.

"There you are," came a voice to my right. I looked up hopefully, wanting to see the person I was thinking about, but to my dismay, it was Roth. I tried with difficulty to not look disappointed.

"Hello," I sighed slightly, looking back again to the horizon. "What are you doing up here?"

"I can't enjoy the scenery as well?" he smiled, which was, I guessed, an attempt to lighten my mood. I supposed he could pick up on something troubling my mind. "Lara, I know this must be very difficult for you. It's hard for everyone at first. But I hope you'll trust me when I tell you that this is right for you. You're on your way."

"I know I am. I just want everyone to know that I don't need help to do it." I looked up at him, as he was the "help" I was implying.

"Lara," Roth began, "I don't think you understand what we're dealing with here."

"Of course I do," I said, trying to sustain a serious tone. "We're simply searching around Miyakejima island for ancient artifacts, and I'm setting off with you to uncover the secrets of the island. Sounds quite simple enough for me."

There was a pause. Roth seemed to be contemplating something; he was focusing intently on the distance. "Yes. It does sound like a simple and straightforward concept when you speak of it like that. But it really isn't as easy as that." He sighed and leaned back against the banister. "The reason your grandfather sent me with you is because I was with him when we originally trekked the island. This being your first expedition ever, we decided it was best that someone accompany you - someone who knows the island's peculiarities."

"And you know what these peculiarities are, of course," I butted in.

"Yes, I do," Roth countered. "We haven't discovered what makes the island do what it does, though." Roth waited, perhaps for questions, but walked away when I didn't give him any.

In truth there were many questions surging through my mind. The thing that disturbed me most, however, was Roth's mentioning of what the island does. Why are he and my grandfather so keen on solving the mystery? Since my grandfather studied this topic for 25 years - and never found an answer - it must be something immensely foreboding. I wondered, do I have what it takes to solve these mysteries? Can I do it alone?


	5. Chapter 5: Secrets

A table was empty near the back corner of the galley, a small kitchen with a few tables and chairs spread about the room for dining. I carried my tray with me there. I ate alone, and that was fine with me. It gave me time to ponder the thoughts that had been bothering me. I didn't know how to address them at the moment, so I sort of let them just sit there, and I decided I'd do something about those thoughts later.

They were serving codfish today… again. At least it's not caviar like my parents make me eat. I grabbed a plate of food and picked out a table to sit at. I set my plate down and wrapped the straps of my backpack around the back of the chair, then pulled out the book my grandfather gave me. I'm fairly decent at multitasking, so I flipped through the book's pages while I nibbled on pieces of fish.

The images I found scattered throughout the book were quite shocking: photographs of natives buried alive under layers of an ashy substance, abandoned streets and villages. My chewing slowed as my eyes drifted to a photo of a large mountain in the distance behind the old village. I flipped ahead a couple of pages and found a better photo and a description of the mountain. Actually, it wasn't a mountain at all, but a volcano. That explains the ash-covered people.

After reading about the now-dormant volcano, I discovered something a little more intriguing. According to ancient that had been passed down through the ages, something peculiar happened each year on the summer solstice. At this particular moment in time, all activity on the island seemed to cease: animals, wind, everything stopped. On the following day, one person would have vanished. I read some things about supposed "creatures" that were said to have been spotted scouting the forests once nightfall arrived. Of course, like any culture, these creatures could merely be myths with no factual basis at all. That was the likeliest case.

There was a sketch on the opposite page. It was of a dark being, almost human-looking; it had a the stance of a human, but its disfigured face, hunched posture, and razor-sharp claws gave the hint that it wasn't human. A chill ran up my spine. I felt uneasy staring at the drawing, even knowing that it was just a that - a drawing and nothing more. Something like that just can't exist, I thought.

I flipped the page to another section. This chapter was about the location of the island. I was shocked to discover that this island was located in a place called "Devil's Triangle," similar to the Bermuda Triangle. I wondered if this book was correct, since our professor had made no mention of any sort of "triangle" where we were going.

I was fully immersed in the book now. It said that there have been no reports from the island since the volcano last erupted, which had been well over seventy-five years by now. The book mentioned that this could be due to the inconvenience that was required to get there, and because perhaps interest had fallen due to the island now being wiped out by ash.

My heart was racing, my mind dancing. I tried to comprehend what I had been reading. According to myth, creatures appeared on the summer solstice, lurking and waiting to capture one of the natives. Even if there was the slightest possibility that this myth was truth, could such an event still occur now that the island was obliterated? No, I thought. Nonsense.

I set down my fork and used both hands to move through the pages. My brow furrowed, my concentration intensified. Several questions ran through my mind: what's so mysterious about a small island's population wiped out by a volcano? It's a natural disaster - there's nothing mysterious about that.

"Hey, Lara." a voice came from behind me. Startled, I closed the old book quickly, sending a small cloud of dust into the air.

"Thomas!" I coughed, waving the dust away from the food and myself. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" He found this funny apparently, because he was amused my surprise.

"Aw, come on," he said, pulling up a seat and inviting himself to sit at my table. "I was just wondering how you were doing. You look a little… distressed."

"How kind of you to care, but I'm fine," I began sternly, shoving the book aside and pulling my unfinished plate of food closer. "Why do you feel the need to check up on me?"

Thomas shrugged. "That old guy asked me to," he said quietly.

"Roth," I mumbled with a sigh. Thomas nodded. "Of course it was Roth. So I guess you didn't strike up a conversation with me on your own accord then?"

"Well, no, not really," he stammered. "B-but I want to. I mean if you want to, that is." He turned slightly pink. I smiled at him and then looked back down at my plate.

"I do," I said softly. I examined his features: a strong jaw line, blond hair pushed up in the front, striking pale blue eyes. We'd been friends for a while, but it wasn't until that moment that I realized the strong, attractive features he possessed. I know I shouldn't bother myself with boys, but there was something about him that was so alluring. Doubly attractive was our mutual interest of exploration and discovery. We got along quite well with each other. I promised myself that I would get to know him more, if only just as friends. He remained quiet, so I decided to spark the conversation again. "So, tell me, where does your interest in archaeology come from?"

He looked down at his fidgety hands resting on the table and smiled. "This is so cliché, but ever since I watched Indiana Jones when I was a kid, I've been interested in ancient cultures and artifacts. The mystique of it all… There's just something about it that makes me crave adventure. I could do without all the booby traps and spike pits though." He laughed, and so did I.

"I don't think that's cliché at all. A lot of my interest comes from old films like that too." He smiled, looking less self-conscious. "Anyway, I don't think we'll be doing any tomb-raiding this time around," I said through my giggling. "You probably won't have to worry about the booby traps." My attention went back to his face, and I noticed his smile was weakening. "Are you alright?"

His eyes were locked to mine. "What? Oh, yeah. Sorry. Just got a little distracted." He smiled faintly and looked at my book. "What's that?"

I followed his gaze to the book resting on the far end of the table. "Oh, that's just a book that documents the history of the island we're headed to." He reached for the book and pulled it toward him. He flipped through the pages and looked just as intense as I felt when I skimmed through it. "Pretty interesting, isn't it?" I said, breaking the long silence. He nodded and then closed it.

"Very interesting," he said as he passed the book back to me. "I'm kind of glad we won't be setting foot there though. Looks a little dusty…" I held back another giggle as he smiled. Something about that damn smile was so enchanting.

"Hey," he said, standing up, "I'm going to head back to my room." I nodded. "You wanna come?" My heart beat a little faster, and I swore my eyes opened wide enough to give away what I was thinking. _I shouldn't be doing this; he's not my priority right now. I'm here for studying artifacts, not love. _

"Oh, err," I began, not really sure how to answer. I said quickly, "I'd like to finish eating first, but maybe I'll drop in later, okay?" He put on a slight, crooked smile and turned to walk out of the galley. "Oh, Thomas!" I called. "Be sure to tell Roth that I'm doing absolutely fantastic and that he needn't check on me tonight." His grin grew into a wide smile and he left the galley. I watched him as he left, up until the galley door closed behind him. I laughed with a small breath and continued to pick at the remains of my meal.


End file.
